The invention relates to sports equipment and apparatus for measuring a user's physical characteristics and selecting and adjusting sports equipment to suit that user. More particularly, the invention provides apparatus for measuring a user's weight, weight distribution, and leg strength, and then assisting in the selection and adjustment of snow skis or snowboards with characteristics suitable for that particular user.
For a skier or a snowboarder, it is desirable to know a distribution of load points applied to the sole of his boot, the person's leg strength, etc., in selecting a ski, a snowboard, and ski or snowboard boots suitable for that user.
A leg strength measuring apparatus is disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2002-65652. That leg strength measuring apparatus includes a seat, a footplate provided at a front side of the seat, and a load sensor for measuring a load applied to the footplate. A person whose leg strength is to be measured steps on the footplate while seated in the seat. The resulting force is measured with the load sensor, thereby enabling the leg strength of the person to be measured.
The leg strength required for skiing or snowboarding is the leg strength applied while bending the knees from a standing posture (i.e., while flexing and extending the knees). The leg strength measuring apparatus of the published Japanese application, however, measures leg strength with the person seated in the seat, in a posture completely different from the posture used in actually skiing or snowboarding. It is therefore impossible to accurately measure the leg strength used in skiing or snowboarding with the leg strength measuring apparatus of the published application. For this reason, the leg strength measured by the leg strength measuring apparatus of described in that application can not serve as an accurate reference for selecting a ski, a snowboard, boots for skiing or snowboarding, etc.
The present invention therefore has been made in consideration of the foregoing actual conditions in which such equipment is used, and its object is to provide a leg strength measuring apparatus capable of measuring distributions of load points and leg strength that can serve as an appropriate reference for selecting and adjusting equipment suitable for use by that particular person.